National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

As the holidays approach, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) wants to have a perfect family Christmas, so he pesters his wife, Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo), and children, as he tries to make sure everything is in line, including the tree and house decorations. However, things go awry quickly. His hick cousin, Eddie (Randy Quaid), and his family show up unplanned and start living in their camper on the Griswold property. Even worse, Clark's employers renege on the holiday bonus he needs.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Parental Guide

Silly humor for the holidays; some iffy stuff.

Consumerism

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Drinking, drugs & smoking

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Language

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Positive messages

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Positive role models

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Sex

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Violence

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Parents need to know that much of the slapstick humor in 1989's National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is obviously directed at younger viewers -- from the cartoon opening to an impossibly high-speed sled ride -- but language and sexual references make it iffy for kids and tweens. Many of the movie's laughs depend on mishaps like falling from ladders or traveling in a car stuck underneath a big rig, but no people get hurt (a pet cat does get electrocuted). The salty talk is toned down a bit from the previous Vacation movies, but there's still plenty of four-letter words, including "f--k" and "s--t," some said by kids. The movie makes all of its characters look ridiculous, but the only negative stereotype is of a busty woman who sells lingerie in the local mall. Some characters are continually drunk. (Note: Avoid watching this when kids young enough to believe in Santa are in the vicinity, because the movie makes lots of references to who really stuffs stockings, etc.)